CHAPTER 1: SPEAKING IN PUBLIC LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1.1 Explain why it is important to study public speaking. 1.2 Discuss in brief the history of public speaking. 1.3 Sketch and explain a model that illustrates the components and the process of communication. CHAPTER OUTLINE I. Why Study Public Speaking? A. We study public speaking to learn and practice strategies for effective delivery and critical listening. B. We study public speaking to discover new applications for skills we already possess, such as researching and organizing ideas. C. The study of public speaking provides long-term advantages related to empowerment and employment. 1. Empowerment gives you an edge over less-skilled communicators. 2. Communication skills are the top factor in helping college graduates obtain employment. II. The Rich Heritage of Public Speaking A. Fourth to first centuries BCE: golden age of public speaking in which Aristotle and other orators refined speaker guidelines still followed today. B. Nineteenth century: public speakers practiced declamation and elocution. 1. Declamation: speakers delivered already famous speeches. 2. Elocution: speakers practiced the expression of emotion through posture, gestures, movement, facial expression, and voice. C. Twentieth and twenty-first centuries: technology expands the parameters of public speaking while drawing on age-old public-speaking traditions.